Edge clip for packages

ABSTRACT

A clip for a package to prevent the binding element from damaging the edge of the package, said clip comprising an Lshaped clip for fitting over the edge and a groove formed in a raised portion of the clip to receive the binding element so that as that element is tensioned the clip is deformed to draw the upper edges of the groove together to secure the clip to the element.

imited motes Wateht Hum 1 1 Feb, 29, 11972 [54] EDGE CLIP FUR PACKAGIE2,266,181 12/1941 Epps ..217/69 X [72] inventor: Frederick William Hunt,5888 Beresford FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 5., South Burnaby,British Columbia, Canada 739,298 7/1966 Canada ..217/66 [22] Flled: Hub,1969 Primary Examiner-Leonard Summer [21] Appl. No: 839,514Attorney-Featherstonhaugh & Co.

52 1U.S.C1 ..206/60, 206/65 B, 217/69 [57] ABSTRACT [51] ir LCl..B65d711/04 A chp f a package; to prevent the binding element f [58]Fleid of Search ..206/60, 65 13; 217/66, 68, 69; damaging the edge f thepackage said chp comprising an 24/16 19; 100/1 shaped clip for fittingover the edge and a groove formed in a raised portion of the clip toreceive the binding element so [56] References (med that as that elementis tensioned the clip is deformed to draw UNITED STATES PATENTS theupper edges of the groove together to secure the clip to the element.749,834 1/1904 Beisel ...2l7/66 2,331,585 10/1943 Walker ..206/60 41Ciairns, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBZS I872 3, 645,387

INVEHTOR FREDERICK W, HUNT EDGE our FOR PACKAGES BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention is concerned with a clip for protecting theedges of packages from damage which might otherwise be caused by thebinding elements used for binding the contents of the package together.It is to be appreciated that the expression packages is used hereingenerically and includes bundles, bales and the like which are bound bysuch binding elements as, for example, stripping or wire.

It is a common practice to provide clips at the edges of packages overwhich a binding element is passed so that when the binding element istensioned to secure the packages it is not drawn into the contents ofthe package to cause damage. A typical example of such a clip isdisclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,331,585 (R. A. Walker).

These clips are disposable after one use and a problem has arisen thatas the binding is cut to open the package the clips fall away and theyare not always collected to be put out of harms way and cause damage tofootwear and, more expensively, to the tires of vehicles moving in theunloading area.

It has been proposed that to avoid this difficulty the clip should besecured onto the binding element so that as the strapping or wirebinding the package is broken, the clips remain on the strapping or wireand can be discorded with the binding element. One proposal foreffecting this is to have a pair of tabs pressed from the material ofthe clip and these are located over the strapping on the clip and arehammered down to secure the binding element to the clip. The problemwith this is that the clamps are not always hammered down properly oroften in the hammering process are snapped thus freeing the bindingelement. If the clamps are not hammered down the present a sharpprojection which of course is dangerous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to this invention there is providedan edge clip having two surfaces inclined to each other and adapted tobe located over an edge of a package and a domed section raised fromsaid surfaces and extending over the intersection of those surfaces anda groove formed in the dome for receiving a binding element, thearrangement being such that tension applied to a binding element locatedin that groove causes the upper edges of the groove to be pulled overthe element to secure the clip to the element and yet the base of thegroove is not drawn down so far as to cause damage to the edges of thepackage and to the contents of the package.

It is preferred that the groove be so dimensioned that the bindingelement will be movable longitudinally through the groove i.e., the clipwill be slidable along the binding element after deformationing theclip. To effect this the groove is made deeper and wider than thebinding element.

It is also preferred that the edges defining the groove should divergefrom the corner edge of the clip so that during the tightening operationthe binding element does not bind on those edges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Two embodiments of this invention areillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

FIG. I is an elevation of an edge clip according to this inventionlocated at an edge of a package,

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of FIG. ll,

FIG. 3 is an elevation similar to the elevation in FIG. 1 but showing awire binding element located within the groove after the binding elementhas been tensioned, and

FIG. 4 is an elevation similar to the elevation in FIG. 1 but of anembodiment for use with strapping.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiment of FIG. I, 2and 3 there is a first plate or surface 10 adapted to overlie one of twoadjacent surfaces of the package and a similar plate or surface I2adapted to overlie the other of the two adjacent surfaces of thepackage. The angle included between the two surfaces for a right-anglededge of a package is somewhat less than 90, say about so that before theclip is deformed in the binding operation it has only line contact withthe edges of the package. This avoids the difficulty which mightotherwise arise, that the surface would lift from the package as theclip is deformed during tensioning of the binding element.

There is a central domed or raised portion 13 which extends over theedge which is to be protected and is raised from the plane of thesurfaces 10 and 12, and extending over and formed in the dome is agroove indicated at M which converges from the outer edges of the twosurfaces 10 and 112 towards the ridge between those two surfaces. Thegroove is made deeper and wider than the binding element which is to beaccommodated within it for a purpose to be described hereinafter. Thesurfaces or plates 10 and 12 are inclined upwardly from outer endsthereof towards the central domed portion 13, as clearly shown in FIG.1.

The outer edges of the surfaces 10 and 12 of the clip have V-shaped cuts16 opposite to the ends of the groove 14 and these servea purpose to bedescribed hereinafter.

It will be appreciated that the clip is located on an edge of thepackage to be bound in the manner indicated in the drawings and then thewire binding element is located in the groove. As the tension isincreased on the wire the groove is pulled downwardly and the clip opensout until the two surfaces 10 and 12 are in face-to-face contact withthe respective ones of the adjacent faces of the package. Furthertensioning will cause the upper edges of the groove 14 to be drawninwardly towards each other and prevent the extraction of the bindingelement from the groove. This condition is illustrated more clearly inFIG. 3.

The groove is so dimensioned that when it is drawn into the positionshown in FIG. 3 the wire has a free running passage through the groove.

The dome is raised above the plane of the surfaces 10 and 12 to such anextent that when the wire: is fully tensioned as illustrated in FIG. 2the base of the groove is not drawn down so far as to damage the edge ofthe package.

To facilitate the bending over of the upper edges of the groove tosecure the wire, the notch I6 is formed in the surfaces 10 and 12 andthis prevents the wire from drawing the metal of the edges of the grooveand bursting through the base of the groove to damage the edge of the:package.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings, functions in muchthe same fashion as that in FIGS. 1 to 3 but of course the groove ismade appropriately wider and shallower to accommodate a strapping ratherthan a wire binding ele ment.

It is to be appreciated that other minor modifications of the clipsillustrated in the drawings can be made which would not deviate from thescope of the invention, for example it is desirable for someapplications to press spikes from the material of the clip which diginto the surfaces of the package to either side of the corner edge andsuch an application is in lumber where the relatively small hole of thespike can be tolerated but the damage to the edges caused by the bindingcould not.

Further, in some instances it might be required to strengthen the clipand this can be done readily by pressing reinforcing ribs into thesurfaces 10 and 112.

What is claimed is:

1. An edge clip for a package, comprising two connected plates angularlyarranged relative to each other to overlie adjacent surfaces of a bundleat a comer thereof, a domed section raised from both of said platescentrally thereof, said plates being inclined upwardly from oppositeends thereof binding element when the tension is released.

2. A clip as claimed in claim I in which said two plates include anangle therebetween of slightly less than 3. A clip as claimed in claim 1including notches in said plates and extending inwardly from side edgesthereof and in line with ends of said groove.

4. A clip as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said notches issubstantially V-shaped.

* t i t

1. An edge clip for a package, comprising two connected plates angularlyarranged relative to each other to overlie adjacent surfaces of a bundleat a corner thereof, a domed section raised from both of said platescentrally thereof, said plates being inclined upwardly from oppositeends thereof towards the domed section, and a groove formed in the domedsection and extending transversely of the plates towards outer edgesthereof for receiving a binding element, said groove being deeper andwider than said binding element, the side walls of the groove normallybeing substantially parallel to each other and when tension is appliedto the binding element said plates being drawn towards the bundle andcausing said side walls to be drawn inwardly towards each other over thebinding element in the groove so that the clip remains on the bindingelement when the tension is released.
 2. A clip as claimed in claim 1 inwhich said two plates include an angle therebetween of slightly lessthan 90*.
 3. A clip as claimed in claim 1 including notches in saidplates and extending inwardly from side edges thereof and in line withends of said groove.
 4. A clip as claimed in claim 3 in which each ofsaid notches is substantially V-shaped.